A Different Way
by Spuffy237
Summary: Updated! A different take on Season Six. Buffy has the chance to cahnge the future in heaven. This is if everyone dies in the finale. Which won't happen.r/r!
1. Change is a good thing

Summary: This is a different view of season six. Buffy has a chance to change what happens while in Heaven. Definite Spuffy! This one's my first long one so bare with me on updates.  
  
Rated: PG-13  
  
A/N: I know it's not totally accurate on the finally, but I'm making it up so I could write this story. Plez review! It's my brain food.  
  
A Different Way Chapter 1: Change is always good  
  
Buffy's eyes watched in horror as a scene appeared before her. She could do nothing to stop what was happening. The First Evil was shredding her friends apart and her future self was on the brink of dying. Tears streaked her face. She knew it hadn't happened yet, but it was killing her anyway. The scene faded into nothingness right before a horror stricken image of herself was about to be stabbed trough the heart with her own weapon.  
  
Buffy was silent. She had asked to see it and now was forced forever to have those memories. The memories of what could have happened if she had been brought back. Memories that she was going to make sure would never happen.  
  
Joyce stood in silence also, staring at her daughter's back. Being the powerful woman and angel she was, she had convinced the Powers that Be to alter the future to Buffy's will once she saw the future that was already planned for her. Buffy had the choice to not go back to the land of the living at all if she wanted to. She was happy here. However, staying in Heaven wasn't a choice at this point. Joyce could fell her daughters sorrow and determination. She needed to go back.  
  
"Honey? It's time," Joyce whispered. The Slayer turned to face her mother. "What do you want to change?"  
  
Buffy waited a while to process her thoughts then took a deep breath and started, "I wish. I wish to go back. just like before, but with knowledge." Another sigh escaped her lips and she continued, "I want to know what will happen, but still be able to live my life as normally as I can. I don't want it to be like I'm living it over again. I just want to be. aware."  
  
"Is that all? The Powers the Be could---," Joyce was cut off.  
  
"And I want to be in a situation where I can be alone the first night," then she added, "with Spike."  
  
It was a very thought over gesture. Along with the seeing of the far future she had seen everything leading to it: Her relationship with Spike. How he hurt her. How she hurt him. How he got his soul. for her. If anything, she needed to include him in her changes. She could tell her future self was being torn inside because if her feelings. They didn't even have a chance to be together the way they should have been. And more than anything, Spike disserved to know that Buffy could love him.  
  
Buffy was planning to tell Spike everything, except their hateful relationship (at first), and they would stop the extremes from happening together. She didn't want Tara to die or Willow to kill. Xander was never going to loose an eye and Dawn would be brought up better.  
  
A misty portal opened behind her showing what was happening down on Earth. The familiar Scooby gang was huddled around her grave while Willow was chanting a spell.  
  
Snakes pored from Willow's mouth while cuts appeared on her arms. Tara was consoling the rest of the group.  
  
Buffy felt a twinge shoot through her body as she felt the pull to Earth  
  
"LET HER CROSS OVER!" Willow roared.  
  
Buffy's whole body was starting to fade as she started reappearing on Earth. She stared at her mother with and sorrowful face and mouthed, "I love you" before her body was totally transmitted to the living.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Willow collapsed in to her girlfriends arms as her ritual jar shattered before her eyes in the wake of a rumbling motorcycle.  
  
"NO!"  
  
Everyone scrambled to their feet and took off while Xander closely followed with a barely conscious Willow.  
  
Once they got home, they were greeted by a very worried Spike and frightened Dawn.  
  
One look at the marks on the witch's forehead told all. They were dealing with magic. In the middle of their town's destruction! Spike was furious.  
  
"What the bleeding hell do you think you were doing?!" Spike blasted and all went silent. He almost started again when he realized the state Willow was actually in and bit his tongue.  
  
"Listen, Glenda, work a barrier around the house while I go find the bot. We're gonna need her. I'll try to band some of these demons on my way. When I get back, you all are going to explain all this." With that Spike rushed out of the Summers' residence and out into the burning streets of Sunnydale. 


	2. Testing out her new life pt1

A/N: I'll be writing one or two new chapters each weekend and anytime I can in between. I 'm sorry about my other two stories, Rest and Chocolaty Goodness. New episode made them shrink and I think my story lines were a little weak to begin with. I'm hoping to get a BETA so if any one it interested please e-mail me, but otherwise I'm still 14 so bare with me. I'm taking some college writing courses over the summer and I hope that helps. If a certain chapter is so distracting that I need to redo it just tell me and I'll get on it. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 2: Testing out her new life  
  
Buffy choked as dust was inhaled freely at her point of consciousness. Her vision was blurry and she was starting to seriously get claustrophobic. Her lungs felt as if they would cave in as there seemed to be no air where she was. She hit her head on something soft then realized where she was. She was in her coffin.  
  
Panic struck every nerve in her body as he clawed her way fiercely out of her confinement. Finally she struck a weak spot and pounds of Earth felled on her head. Kicking and clawing were the only things that insured she was still alive.  
  
With her slayer strength, she broke the surface sputtering for air, eyes not totally adjusting. She closed her eyes and rested a few moments before she climbed the rest of the way out of her grave.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
"It didn't work." It was more of a realization then a question. Willow's newly found consciousness was only making her miserable. Everything was supposed to be OK. Buffy was going to come back. This wasn't supposed to happen.  
  
She couldn't meet the eyes of Dawn. Dawn hadn't known about the ritual. They didn't tell her because they knew if something like this happened she'd.. It was too much to take in. She resulted in staring out the window at the pulsing blue light that a barrier spell was making around the house. Nobody spoke.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Spike was too late to save the Buffy-bot. After he had stolen a motorcycle from one of the demons evading the coffee shop, he had arrived just in time to see the blank expression on the Buffy look-a-like's face as she was pulled in half by two motorcycles.  
  
After the last of the demons cleared out, he crept to where the head a torso of the bot lay. He silently closed her open eyes as it was very disturbing to have her staring at him. Even though it wasn't the real Buffy, he felt attached to it.  
  
Suddenly its eyes shot open and cocked its head making spike stumble backwards.  
  
"I ran away.did you see where I went?"  
  
Spike was confused, "Pet, you're all over the ground. I don't think Willow can fix you this time."  
  
"Not me. The other one who looks like me.. I'm pretty." She smiled while sparks jerked her head back and forth, "Could you go look for her.zzz..she looked. baaaddddd." The bots voice deepened as its main power source came to a stop. It took Spike a minute to put the pieces together. He started to panic and shook the robot fiercely.  
  
"Where did she go!?" He screamed, but it was no use the machine was gone.  
  
He stood up frantically and did the first thing that came to mind. He closed his eyes and sniffed the air. He could smell her. The real her.  
  
He broke down on the pavement and finally threw up. Blood kept regurgitating from his stomach. Tears mixed with his vomit until he finally got a hold of himself.  
  
Standing up, he wiped blood from his mouth and marched in the direction of the scent. He was going to find her.  
A/N: Sorry for the short chapters. They'll get longer as I get in to the more impotent chapters like when they spend that first night back together. 


	3. Testing out her new life pt2

Chapter 3: Trying out her new life pt. 2  
  
The slayer had no more strength left in her. She remembered briefly the image of herself crawling from the grave in heaven, but nothing could compare to the real thing. She decided she'd better stay in the spot she had collapsed until her vision wasn't blurry around the edges.  
  
It was a sad sight. The slayer, the chosen one, collapsed in a heap by her own grave. She didn't care though. Tonight was her one chance to rest before she would start her new life. Spike would show up soon anyway. He would help her. She had wished he would be there so it should be. Her gut started to sear with pain from the stress. Where is he?!  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It was hard to keep a strait face as he followed the scent of his slayer. It was disturbing to have her scent around him again. He had just got over the fact that her scent lingered around her grave for several weeks after she was buried, but this was too much. If the robot had lied to him and she wasn't really there, he just was imagining it, he was gonna.. He wouldn't be able to live. To have false hope like this would kill him, but if there was a chance. a tiny chance that she might be alive again, he might as well find out if it's true or not.  
  
Spike's doubt started to dwindle away as the scent got stronger. The irresistible aroma of a slayer. Then another smell filled his nostrils. Her blood.  
  
His feet quickened in pace until he broken out into a frantic run. He didn't know where he was going. His nose led the way. Then the trees he had been dodging stopped. He was in a cleared area. A graveyard.  
  
Buffy's smell was all around him. He had no doubt anymore. It was her.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
A familiar prickling crept up the back of Buffy's neck. Spike. She knew it wouldn't take him all night to find her, but the small five minutes she had been on the ground, waiting, seemed like five years. Her stomach ached with ulcers. He was closer now. A groan escaped her lips in the place of a call for help. Then she felt his hands on her back, lightly turning her over.  
  
^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Buffy's eyes were screwed shut with pain when Spike found her. Very carefully, he sat down beside her and pulled her into his lap. She was real.  
  
Spike and Buffy sat there like that until his gentle shushes coaxed her eye's open. Her stomach pains had just subsided, but exhaustion still lingered.  
  
Spike's face was tear streaked and looked just as exhausted as her's. His eye's sparkled in the moonlight trying to consol her the best they could. The source of the blood he had smelled came from deep wounds around her knuckles. He knew instantly what she had had to do. It made him gag.  
  
Buffy's breathing had calmed. She knew she was safe now.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
Spike couldn't believe he was holding his slayer again. 147 days had pasted with her gone for good and then, all of a sudden, she appears. He could tell she had been through a lot. She had obviously been crying and she needed rest.  
  
"Ok. let's get you home." The first words exchanged between them were quiet. Not exactly the big speech he had planned, but at the current moment all that mattered that she needed to be in a safe place. Away from the chaos going on in town.  
  
"No!" She voiced painfully then let out a few coughs. Spike looked at her, confused. "Not yet." Her eyes strained to get her point across. She was miserable. She would have wanted to be alone anyway even with out her wishing it.  
  
That was all he needed. He decided the closest place they could take refuge was his crypt, so he hoisted her up and started to walk in that direction. Buffy's head contently rested in the crook of his neck as she closed her eyes again. He didn't know how this happened, but he couldn't hold back his joy, even if she was hurting.  
  
Spike felt horrible about his emotions. The task at hand was very important, however, so he decided to push them aside and just help Buffy. 


	4. Finding her feet

A/N: Hurray! This is a long chappy! 1,310 words! I know, not that long but 500 more than my previous chapters. I'm sorry for the shortness of the last ones. I was finding my feet, he he. I'm still looking for a BETA so e-mail me if you know any good ones. As of now I just whip these chaps up in an hour or so. I need help. You're supposed to harbor over chapters. right? Well thanks to those that reviewed. Sorry for mistakes. Remember I need a BETA. Spell check can't do everything.  
  
Chapter 4: Finding your feet  
  
When inside Spike's crypt, Spike set Buffy on top of the sarcophagus with promises of returning. He scurried down to the depths of his layer in search of medical supplies. Finding none, he scooped a blanket from his bed and headed back up the ladder.  
  
Buffy looked up with tired eyes, feet dangling from the edge of the coffin. She was so tired she felt as if she would fall over.  
  
"Listen," Spike spoke roughly and uncertain, "I have to go to your place to get some supplies. I'll bring back some cloths too ...that is, if you want to spend the night."  
  
All Buffy could do was nod in response.  
  
"Do you want me to tell them you're here?"  
  
She looked up into his eyes contemplating her decision then whispered, "If you can put it past them so they won't come."  
  
Spike nodded and gave her a small smile before he trudged out the door.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^  
  
It took Spike little time to reach the Summers' residence as he knew the path well. He tried to sneak in the best she could, but of course that didn't really work when all the people he was avoiding were stationed in the living room.  
  
"Where have you been? Where's the Bot?" Dawn was the first to speak.  
  
"She's gone bit," he was careful on his word choosing. He had no idea how he could let them know about Buffy's return and keep them from going after her at the same time. If only he could have used the window.  
  
"The spell didn't work if you were trying to find out," The red-head could tell he knew about her spell. There was no use holding back. Dawn had already found out anyway.  
  
Spike was silent and stared at them from his awkward position. He shifted his weight from side to side a few times before he began. He might as well spill. He would keep them away at Buffy's request by force if he had to anyway.  
  
"She's alive," the group didn't register his words as fast as he had wanted them to, "She's in bad shape. She wants to be alone. I just came over to pick up some supplies. I'll bring her in the morning .if she wants to." They continued to stare at him.  
  
"What?" Dawn squeaked tears starting to roll down her face yet again from when she found out about the spell. She just couldn't take it anymore and ran up to her room and slammed the door. Spike looked at the ground.  
  
"Glenda I need some supplies for the cust on her hands," he spoke softly.  
  
"It worked, but-, " Willow was cut off by Xander. He just put two and two together.  
  
"It worked alright. We brought Buffy back, and left her right where we left her."  
  
Horror struck Willow's face and she silently started to sob again. Xander started for the door, but Spike grabbed him and forced him up against the wall.  
  
"Are you deaf?!" Spike was enraged, "She wants to be left alone. Does that have any meaning to you?!"  
  
Xander's eyes started to leak. His macho play was over. He broke down.  
  
Spike left him there and grabbed the supplies Tara handed to him. He headed upstairs knowing they wouldn't leave for Buffy.  
  
Once in Buffy's room he headed straight for the dresser and pulled out a cotton tank and sweat pants with some undergarments. He pulled a duffle bag from beneath her bed and stuffed all that he collected into it. Pausing, he then grabbed Mr. Gordo and stuffed the pig too. He didn't have time to thank god for letting him enter such a sacred space, he had to get back to Buffy.  
  
"Bring her back, will you." Dawn whispered from her place at the door to her sister's bedroom. Spike turned to look at Dawn's tear stained face and nodded with a smile. He then left the house without a glance back.  
  
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
The Slayer had changed her position to an Indian stance by the time Spike had returned. Her basic motor skills were back and she was already trying to find a way to tell Spike about here experiences in Heaven. She just hoped he would help her. What was she thinking, of course he would help her! The visions she saw were going to change, but this was Spike. He still loved her.  
  
"Honey, I'm home," I was funny how he could make such a novelty phrase so twisted. She smiled in acknowledgment. He walked over and set the duffle bag down beside the sarcophagus while positioning himself to face Buffy as she was leaning he back against the railing attached to it. He grabbed some gaze and antiseptic then took her hands in his.  
  
"I'm sorry," he had planned this speech for a long time so Buffy kept quiet; "I didn't save you. I should've been faster, more cunning, but I wasn't. I'm sorry for that."  
  
Buffy was about to find her words when he continued, "I saved you though. Every night I saved you. In every different way you could imagine. 147 days, but I guess today doesn't count now does it." His eyes beamed with joy. He never thought he would get to say those words.  
  
"Thanks," was all she could get out. It was no use telling him it wasn't his fault. She knew from memories given to her he was too stubborn for that.  
  
Once her wounds were tended to, Spike jumped from his perch and pulled out his clothing choice for Buffy. She swung her legs over the side, wincing as bruises hit the stone. Knowing she couldn't get dressed by herself he asked, "May I?"  
  
She nodded not meeting his eyes. She knew he wouldn't take advantage of her in this state, but it was awkward all the same.  
  
Spike began to lift the hem of the dress over her head revealing a black lace bra underneath. Unlike her dress the bra was free of dirt, but her underwear had seen better days. Knowing the stress of the bra was only making her bruises hurt more, he stepped behind her and carefully undid the clasp. She quickly crossed her arms over herself until he slipped the tank over her. The cotton felt heavenly against her skin.  
  
Before continuing, Spike grabbed her pants and new underwear from the bag. When he looked at her for permission to continue she nodded and try not to think about what he was doing by looking away.  
  
He hooked his thumbs around her moth-eaten panties and slipped them down her legs. He tried not to stare, but eventually he caught a glimpse of the soft curls below her naval. He knew this had to be uncomfortable for her so he quickly let her step into the new pair and slid them up her legs.  
  
He then lifted her body back onto the coffin and slid the sweatpants on her before carrying her to the couch on which the blanket he had gotten earlier sat. He bundled her up and went back to drag her duffle bag to her side.  
  
He handed her Mr. Gordo then headed for his chair. She wanted to start telling him about her experience, but she was too weary. It can wait until tomorrow. 


End file.
